Railway switch



C. J. MILLER.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. 1922.

1 ,4L3QM8Q6D Patented 00$. 1'7, N22,

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

C. J. MILLER.

RMLWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. 1922.

1,%32,6@6 Patent-ed. Oct. 17 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@ct. 17, E922 CHARLES 3'. MILLER, 0F MQSELLE, MISSISSIPE'I.

naitwaiz swi'rcn.

Application filed June 17,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES J. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moselle, in the county of Jones and State of Mississippi, have invented new and useful Improvements in which the following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to railway rolling stock, and it contemplates the provision of means by which the facing points of a railway switch are held securely tothe main line rails in such a manner that they will not casually open or change position in the event of breakage of the throw rod, bridle, tie bars or appurtenances of the switch and switch stand.

The invention further contemplates the provision of means whereby one point will be firmly held in proper position to one main line rail and the opposing point as firmly and securely held in open position with respect to its adjacent rail; said looking means being so constructed and arranged that it tends to re-enforce the facing points where they are secured to the main line connections.

Other advantages and characteristic features of this invention will be fully understood Erom the following description and claims, when the same are read in connection with the drawings, accompanying and forming part of this application, in which;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a railway switch equipped with my novel construction.

Figure 2 is a view partly in section illustrating the switch points set and locked to the main line connections.

Figure 3 is a similar View showing the points as unlocked with the rail set for a siding.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

I deem it expedient to state, before entering into a detailed description of this invention, that in order to maintain operation of railway trains at the maximum of safety, it is highly important that facing points of a switch at their connection forming the main line rails, should at all times be so secured that they would form as nearly as possible a continuous rail after the manner of the ordinary well known rail joints, and

so arranged that the breakage of the rods and other appurtenances would not conflict with moving trains due to the creeping or Railway Switches, 0t

1922. Serial No. 568,948.

opening of the switch points, and it is to produce a device for such purpose that I provide my novel construction comprising in connection with the well known rails 2, ties 1, switch points 3, tie bar 4, throw bar 5 and a switch stand 6, the elements hereinafter referred to in detail.

Under ordinary circumstances the throw rod 5 and one of the tie bars 4 are secured to each other and depend upon the adjustment of the switch stand lever to keep the points 3 close up to the rail connections, but insuch'case should the elements fail due to breakage, the points 3 would move from their proper positions to produce a great element of danger to the moving train.

As will be observed from the drawings, I produce two separate and distinct arrangements for the main line connection and the side main line connection, but these elements are actuable synchronously upon movement of the switch stand lever.

The main line connection element comprises the locking device 7 consisting of a plate constructed and arranged to fit the base of the point 3 and slidable with said point on the plate 8. An arm 9 assists in looking the point 3 and this arm 9 is fulcrumed on the locking device 7 at 10 and a link or lever 11 is secured to the arm 9 and connects with the throw rod 5, actuable bv the lever 6 of the switch stand.

As will be manifest the throw rod 5 is connected to the switch stand lever 6, lever 11 and tie bar 4 and has an enlarged end portion 12 which moves on the hanger frame 13, and said portion 12 is so adjusted that it will lift the open lock arm 14, when the throw arm is actuated in one direction.

The hanger frame 13 is secured to the ties 1, at the points 15, 15 and supports the open locking arm 14, which arm 14 is fulcrumed at 17 on the hanger frame 13 and actuates with the locking device 7 and its appurtenances as before stated, upon actuation of the throw rod 5.

In the practical use of the invention, it is assumed that the switch is locked and securely held to the main line rail as illustrated by Figure 1, but when required to use the siding, the switch stand lever 6 is thrown and it immediately actua'tes the throw rod 5 to open the locking device 7 by the lever 11 and also the locking arm 14 by the enlarged end 12; at said point the 18, makes contact with a projection 19 on the rod 4:, and pushes the switch points 3 over device 14 to function at the same time. I At this point, the switch stand lever 6 resses down the lever 20 locking the movab e arm 9 of device 7, and after the switch stand lever 6 is locked in the usual wa breakage of the bars would have no e points 3 with regard to their positions and the rails, until the. switch stand lever 6 was unlocked and lifted by a person havin charge of the repair of the stand.

t will be seen, that in order to provide against slack of the movable arm 9 of the locking device 7, I provide the adjusting bolt 21.

It will be manifest that the device substantially increases the safe operation of a train and is simple and efiicient in construction and comprlses no delicate elements such as are liable to be inoperative after a short period of usage, and the elements may be quickly and easily installed and removed when occasion demands without the employment of skilled labor or special tools.

The invention is applicable to all forms of railway switches and I reserve to myself the right to make such changes in the future construction and size and materialof the device as may fairly fall within the scope of the-appended claims.

Havin described my invention, what I claim an desire, to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In means -for safe guarding moving trains, the combination of rallway rails,

' actuable b act on the switch points arranged adjacent the rails, tie bars securin the points to ether, plates arranged beneat the points, a oeking member movable on a plate and havin a surface that bears on a point, an arm fu crumed above said member and ada ted to bear on one rail, a switch stand adjacent the, rails, a throw rod aotuable by the stand and connected to the arm and tie bar and means the throw rod for locking the points to t e rails.

2. In means for the purpose specified, the combination of rails, plates mounted below the rails, switch points adjacent the rails, a locking member actuable on one of the plates, tie bars actuable from a switch stand, a throw bar actuable from the stand, locking members adapted to be seated and unseated on movement of the throw bar and an arm movably connected to the throw bar running rails, switch points adjacent there-.

to, plates arranged below the points, a movable arml arranged on one of the plates, and adapted to move the points an arm movably arranged adjacent one rail and adapted to bear on the web thereof, a throw rod secured to the points and lockin devices arranged adjacent the rails an adapted to be thrown in looking position on movement of the rod in one direction and out of looking position on movement the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

2 CHARLES J. MILLER.

Witnesses:

L. M. CRAWFORD, J. R. PERRY.

of the rails in 

